Arrangements for winding wire at high speed into circular turns



J. GODDERIDGE ARRANGEMENTS FOR WINDING WIRE AT HIGH SPEED June 11,-1963INTO CIRCULAR TURNS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1960 INVENTOR JEANGODDER/DGE June 11, 1963 GODDERIDGE INTO CIRCULAR TURNS Filed June l5,1960 J. ARRANGEMENTS FOR WINDING WIRE AT HIGH SPEED 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 zI i 2 75 Ju ne 11, 1963 GOIDDERIDGE J. ARRANGEMENTS FOR WINDING WIRE ATHIGH SPEED 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 11, 1963 J. GODDERIDGE 3,

' ARRANGEMENTS FOR WINDING WIRE AT HIGH SPEED INTO CIRCULAR TURNS FiledJune 15. 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,093,339 ANGEMENTSFUR WINDING WIRE AT HIGH SPEED INTO CIRCULAR TURNS Jean Godderidge, 11Boulevard Henri Barbusse, Houilles, France Filed June 15, 1960, Ser. No.36,411 7 Claims. (Cl. 242-82) The present invention relates toarrangements for winding wire at high speed, into circular turns and hasfor an object improvements therein.

Particularly, the invention relates to such arrangements in which thewire is wound by a rotating head in order to form several turns round aconical fixedly mounted capstan.

All the turns of wire which are maintained against the capstan bysprings or similar flexible elements must be pressed towards the bottomof the capstan by a distance which is equal to the diameter of the wireat each revolution of the rotating head, in such a manner thatthe lowerturn, which is progressively freed as a new turn is being wound at thetop of the capstan, drops freely on to a support disposed below thecapstan.

In known arrangements of the kind referred to above, this downwardthrust on the turns of wire is exerted by a member comprising a rolleror a rigid part, mounted on the rotating head in order to turn with itround and very near the capstan.

However, this type of pressure member has drawbacks when it is requiredto wind wire having a small diameter into circular turns at high speeds.

Indeed, if the clearance between the pressure member and the capstan isvery small, the pressure member may rub on the capstan and thus cause agreat wear of the latter, particularly when the rotating head carryingthe pressure member is rotated at high speeds. On the other hand, whenthe clearance between the pressure member and the capstan is large,small-diameter wire may become wedged between them and break. In anycase, the rotating pressure member rubs on the wire and this causes thewire to wear.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a winding arrangementof the above-mentioned type that does not suffer from the drawbacksreferred to.

According to the invention, it becomes possible to avoid any clearancebetween the pressure members and the capstan these pressure membersbeing actuated only with an alternating longitudinally sliding movementof small amplitude relative to the capstan. The capstan is no longersubjected to Wear due to friction of the pressure members of therotating type and the wire is no longer in danger of becoming wedgedbetween the pressure members and the capstan. Moreover, wear of the wireis also avoided since the latter is no longer subjected to frictionforces which are tangentially exerted as in hitherto known deviceshaving a rotating pressure member.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, referencewill now be made to the accompanying drawings which show someembodiments thereof by way of example and in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective View of an arrangement for winding Wireaccording to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of thearrangement of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan view along the line III-III of FIGURE 2,

FIGURES 4 and 5 are partial sectional views to a larger scale, showingin detail the relative positions of the pressure members and of thecapstan, respectively at the point Where the wire is applied to thecapstan, and at the diametrically opposite point,

FIGURE 6 shows in a longitudinal section a modification of thearrangements of FIGURES l to 5,

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view along the line VII-VII of FIGURE 6,

FIGURE 8 is a partial sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of FIGURE7.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown an arrangement comprising asupport 1 for supporting a hollow shaft 2 driven by a pulley 3. Theshaft 2 is provided with two guide pulleys 4 and 5 which guide the wire6, which is fed from above through the hollow shaft 2 towards and rounda capstan '7, which is rotated by an auxiliary shaft 8 driven from theshaft 2 by differential pinions 9.

The turns thus formed on the capstan 7 by the rotating head constitutedby the shaft 2 and pulleys 4 and 5, are maintained on the capstan byfiat springs 10, mounted around the capstan on an annular member 11. Aring 12 is located above the turns, the plane of said ring Ibeinginclined relatively to the axis of the capstan 7, in such a manner thatits uppermost part is located at the point 13 Where the wire 6 isapplied to the capstan 7.

When the rotating head turns, the inclination of the ring 12 isangularly altered in order to remain always the same relatively to thepoint where the wire 6 is applied to the capstan 7. The ring 12, whoselower edge constitutes the above-mentioned pressure members, thuspresses by this movement the whole stack of turns in a downwarddirection until it has reached its lowermost position at the point 14opposite to the arrival of the wire. The lower turn is consequentlyfreed and comes out from below the springs 10.

Since there is no rotation of the ring 12 relative to the capstan 7, butonly a movement having a very small longitudinal oscillation whoseamplitude is at least sub stantially equal to the diameter of the wire6, the play between the capstan 7 and the ring 12 may be very small andsubstantially zero; the risk of the wire being wedged is thus avoidedand the wire itself is also protected, because there is no relativemovement of the capstan relatively thereto.

Reference will now be made to FIGURE 2 which is a sectional view of amodification of the device of FIG- URE 1, this modification consistingin that the flat springs 10 are here replaced by retaining plates 15pushed back against the capstan 7 by spiral springs 16. m

The movement of the ring 12 which correspoiids in shape to the capstan 7whose upper part is partially spherical, is guided by a cup joint 17 andthree rollers 18 fixed on a triangular planar member 19, which may beseen in FIGURE 3, mounted on a ball joint 20 having the same centre asthe cup joint 17 which is situated in a median plane of the sphericalpant of the capstan.

The planar member 19 is inclined relatively to the arm 21 which supportsthe pulley 5, by means of an adjustable screw 22.

A finger 23 prevents the ring 12 from rotating relatively to the capstan7.

When the shaft 2 turns, the rollers 18 roll on a path 24 provided on theinternal face of the ring 12 and impose on it an inclination which isalways equal to that of the planar member 19 carrying the rollers 18;the inclination of the ring is thus modified cyclically relatively tothe capstan 7 as a function of the rotation of the shaft 2.

FIGURE 4 shows partially in section the upper position of the ring 1-2on the capstan 7 at the point 13 where the wire 6 is applied to thecapstan. Four turns are located under the plate 135. In the lowerposition 14, shown in FIGURE 5, the new turn takes the place of theupper turn of the stack and all the others are pushed downwardly by adistance equal to the diameter of the wire. The last one therefore comesout of the spring, so that it is no longer held, and falls freely.

Reference will now be made to FIGURES 6 to 8 which show a modificationof the arrangements described above. In these figures, the elementscorresponding to those of FIGURES 1 to have been given the samereference numerals, but primed.

According to this modification, the ring 12' is divided into sixradially sliding segments 25 which are each applied individually againstthe capstan 7 by springs 26 which completely suppress any clearance. Thecapstan 7 is removable. The two ball and cup joints mentioned above arereplaced by a single ball joint 27 which is downwardly oriented.

The rollers 18' are thus situated above the path or track 24.

The position of one of the rollers is determined by means of anadjusting screw 28, as is shown in FIGURE 8. The other two rollers arepressed against the path 24 by springs 29 and automatically take up theposition which corresponds to the inclination given by the first roller.

The part 30 which carries the capstan 7 is sealed at the bottom andpartially filled with oil. The part 31 integral with the part 30 andwhich carries the ball joint 27 is provided with ports 32 through whichpass arms of a member 33, which carries the roller path 24' and theradially sliding segments 25. Oil-tightness at the top is ensured bylabyrinths 34. All the internal moving parts Work in the oil.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding Wire comprising a capstan means operativelyassociated with said capstan for winding turns of said wire around saidcapstan in a predetermined zone thereof and means surrounding saidcapstan in tight fitting uniform engagement in a zone outside that inwhich the wires are wound, the latter said means cyclically oscillatingwith respect to said capstan while maintaining the tight fittingengagement therewith to cyclically urge the last wound turn of said wireagainst the other turns of wire on said capstan to successively remove aturn of wire as another turn is wound on the capstan.

2. Apparatus for winding wire comprising a capstan, means operativelyassociated with said capstan for winding turns of said Wire around saidcapstan in a predetermined zone thereof, a ring surrounding said capstanwithout clearance in a zone outside that in which the wires are wound,and means supporting said capstan and ring to provide cyclical rockingmovement of said ring in synchronization with the winding of the wire onthe capstan and with said ring and capstan being without clearance sothat the ring cyclically urges the last wound turn of wire against theother turns of wire on the capstan to successively remove a turn of wireas another turn is wound on the capstan.

3. Apparatus for winding wire comprising a capstan, means operativelyassociated with said capstan for winding turns of said Wire around saidcapstan in a predetermined zone thereof, a ring contactingly surroundingsaid capstan in a zone outside that in which the wires are wound todefine a peripheral contact surface therewith, and means supporting saidcapstan and ring to rockingly move the ring and capstan relative to oneanother to cause relative sliding therebetween to cause the ring tocontact turns of wire on the capstan while maintaining a peripheralcontact surface therebetween, said ring and capstan being synchronizedfor movement such that the means for winding the wire causes the wire tocontact the capstan at a substantially constant level thereon while thecapstan and ring rock relative to one another such that the last woundturn of wire is urged against the other turns of wire on said capstan bysaid ring to remove a turn of wire as each turn of wire is wound on thecapstan.

4. Apparatus for winding wire comprising a capstan, a head adapted forrelative rotation with respect to said capstan for winding turns of wirearound said capstan in a predetermined zone thereof a pressure ringencircling the capstan in a zone adjacent that in which the wires arewound, said capstan and pressure ring having spherically shaped surfacesin contact with one another and means for rocking the ring and capstanrelative to one another about a point corresponding to the center of thespherical surfaces such that the spherical surfaces always remain incontact with one another, the latter said means being effective to causerelative movement between the ring and the capstan over a distancecorresponding to the diameter of the wire and in synchronizing mannerwith the head such that the wire initially contacts the capstan at aconstant level thereon and thereafter is urged against other wires woundon the capstan in cyclical fashion by the pressure ring to causemovement of all the other wires on the capstan whereby a space isprovided between the ring and the wires for the winding of another turnof wire on the capstan.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for relativelyrocking the ring and capstan comprises a cup joint supporting the ringfor universal movement about a location corresponding to the center ofthe spherical surfaces.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the means for relativelyrocking the ring and capstan further comprises a planar memberadjustably supported in inclined fashion with respect to the capstan andadapted for rotation about an axis, said planar member supporting thering and causing rocking of the same as said planar member rotates aboutsaid axis.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 comprising a sealed member adaptedfor containing oil and detachably supporting the capstan, a memberwithin the sealed member and supporting said ring, said ring includingseveral radially sliding segments, resilient means urging said segmentsagainst the capstan, a plurality of rollers in said sealed member andoperatively coupled to said member supporting the ring to cause thesegments to lie in a plane inclined with respect to said capstan, meansfor adjusting one of said rollers for adjusting the inclination of saidplane, and a spring urging each of the rollers against the membersupporting the ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. APPARATUS FOR WINDING WIRE COMPRISING A CAPSTAN MEANS OPERATIVELYASSOCIATED WITH SAID CAPSTAN FOR WINDING TURNS OF SAID WIRE AROUND SAIDCAPSTAN IN A PREDETERMINED ZONE THEREOF AND MEANS SURROUNDING SAIDCAPSTAN IN TIGHT FITTING UNIFORM ENGAGEMENT IN A ZONE OUTSIDE THAT INWHICH THE WIRES ARE WOUND, THE LATTER SAID MEANS CYCLICALLY OSCILLATINGWITH RESPECT TO SAID CAPSTAN WHILE MAINTAINING THE TIGHT FITTINGENGAGEMENT THEREWITH TO CYCLICALLY URGE THE LAST WOUND TURN OF SAID WIREAGAINST THE OTHER TURNS OF WIRE ON SAID CAPSTAN TO SUCCESSIVELY REMOVE ATURN OF WIRE AS ANOTHER TURN IS WOUND ON THE CAPSTAN.